Formal and traditional prayer

Children are encouraged to develop their individual prayer life through daily participation in our formal prayers such as our school prayer, morning prayer, grace before and after meals and evening prayer. It is important that we enable pupils to participate in the community of the Church through learning our traditional Church prayers. Formal prayers, appropriate to the age and maturity of the year group are taught through the RE curriculum, each class teacher has a copy of the prayers that their class are expected to learn in each year.

Prayer through the Curriculum

Pupils also experience worship through their RE curriculum. Each RE Unit concludes with a focus Prayer and Reflection Service that reflects on the unit that has been covered and uses a variety of prayer styles. Pupils also learn about prayer and worship as a discreet topic within the RE curriculum as well as using prayer as a way of developing their faith. Focus Prayers are displayed in classrooms. Pupils have regular opportunities to take part in praying the Rosary, and the Angelus.  

Chapel/ Prayer Focus Areas

As well as having our parish Church next door which pupils use for prayer and worship on a regular basis, we have dedicated prayer areas throughout the school. Each classroom has a prayer focus area to help pupils in their prayer life and is used in acts of class worship. It has reminders of liturgical themes and colours as well as class saints and inspiration figures, it also contains traditional prayers and RE curriculum foci. We now have a new Chapel Prayer Room, next to the school hall for pupils to use outside of curriculum time. These areas give children the opportunity to spend time in private prayer, they also contain intentions/prayer box so that family situations, illness, thanksgiving and individual concerns can be expressed and supported.

Class Meditation

Each half term pupils participate in class meditation led by the class teacher. At appropriate level each class experiences prayerful reflections, including silent contemplation, to develop their own spirituality and private prayer. Pupils are encouraged to share their own thoughts and prayers through open prayer.